According to Wikipedia, Comedy, as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter.

“Generally intended.” See everyone? You’re still comedians. It’s the thought that counts.

Same to you, asshole!

Good point.

I’ve been doing ‘comedy’ as in ‘stand-up comedy’ for a coupla of years now, after years and years of being a comedic actor. Oh, there’s a difference. Comedians are hilarious, enlightening societal reformers. Comedic actors are indulgent pussy faggots.

Now I know what you’re saying, what about Jerry Lewis?

Oh, you’re not saying that? Right then.

Actually, I don’t know much about Jerry Lewis. Let’s see, off the top of my head: He’s very famous. He’s fat and old now. He did a lot of big deal stuff a while back. He does a phone-a-thon to help kids with problems that are quite remote from mine. The French like him. He did the Nutty Professor. (I’m talking about the first one, not the one with that other famous, old, comedian who just also happens to be, and whose career, personae and perspective have not, in any way been influenced by the fact that he is Black.)*

I don’t say that as a ‘hey, look how unique I am because I don’t know about the canonical history of American comedy.’ No, I don’t say that. Not at all.

Maybe a little.

Purists will denounce me as a careerist diletante, hell bent on celebrity at any cost. I maintain that if that were the case, I’d make a video of that time I fucked, killed, and ate a dude (oxford comma here?) and then ran to Berlin with some sunglasses until I got caught! That’s real fame! YES! INTERNETS!

But the reality is simply this: I get bored very quickly, and if a project doesn’t start to gain traction, I’m apt to quickly jump ship. It’s been a problem for a while. It’s no deep thing, no psychological condition described in the DSM-V, but simply because I get bored. Boredom. That’s it. I need laughs! I need attention! I need juice, baby! I need more of THE STUFF!! GIVE IT TO ME!

Settle….

Ah, but the wisdom gleaned from growing older has taught me to fight the most natural impulse I have, that inescapable desire to say ‘Next!’ and move on to something more novel. It has also taught me to use words like ‘gleaned.’

Am I quitting stand-up comedy? No. Am I kind of whining about the fact that there are too many people and there’s too much of a ‘scene,’ which seems to be completely antithetical to the notion of stand-up comedy, which is supposed to be about individuals sharing their unique perspectives of the world and experience, but at the moment seems to be filled largely by mid-twenties white males who love jokes about blowjobs?

Oh, and I know it’s not entirely true. There are interesting and unique white males doing stand-up out there. But there’s a ton of them. And yes, perhaps I’m just cranky because I’m tired of my most recent material and had a roughish 3 minute mic last night.

That’s a distinct possibility, Dedes.

Shut up, you!

…

Wiki’s article on ‘Stand-Up Comedy’ says this: “In stand-up comedy the comedian usually recites a fast-paced succession of humorous stories, short jokes called “bits”, and one-liners, which constitute what is typically called a monologue, routine or act.”

Fast-paced, eh? Louder faster funnier? Oh, alright.

So I says to the lady what’s in the bag and she says she says she says whaddya mean what’s in the bag that’s my purse!?

Keep working on it.

Dammit. I’m bored with this post.

The End.

ps. The wikipedia article on Jerry Lewis says he’s a comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director.